Nestle Toll House Cookie Bars recipe from the nostalgic yellow bag of chocolate chips with a few tweaks to make them even BETTER! Fantastic buttery chocolate chip cookie bar recipe with perfect flavor & texture.

If you grew up baking with the classic yellow bag of Nestlé Toll House chocolate chips, you’ll appreciate this cookie bar recipe! I made just a few adjustments that improve both the flavor & texture. These bars combine the nostalgic taste you love with a perfect balance of softness and chewiness that makes them even better than the original!
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Butter & shortening: Start with ½ cup butter (softened) and ½ cup shortening butter flavored to balance moisture and structure. Using both creates a tender, chewy base with fantastic flavor.
Sugars: For sweetness, blend ¾ cup granulated sugar and ¾ cup packed brown sugar. Brown sugar adds moisture and depth from its molasses content.
Extract: Add 1 tsp of vanilla extract to flavor the dough well.
Eggs: Bind the ingredients with 2 large eggs.
Flour: For the structural base of the dough, you need 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour.
Baking soda: 1 ¼ tsp of baking soda is the leavening agent in this cookie recipe.
Salt: Enhance the sweet flavors by adding 1 tsp of salt.
Chocolate chips: Mix in 2 ½ cups of NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips for nostalgia and classic chocolate distribution.
Coarse sea salt: A sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top is optional but can enhance the sweetness and balance overall flavor.

Baking Tips for Consistently Great Results
- Use an oven thermometer to ensure your oven’s temperature is accurate; too hot causes over-browning, too cool results in underbaked bars.
- Line your pan with parchment paper with overhang for easy removal and clean edges.
- Don’t overbake. The center should be just set and slightly soft. Cookie bars continue to firm as they cool.
- Cool bars in the pan on a wire rack before cutting to maintain structure and avoid crumbling.

How long are these Nestle Toll House Cookie Bars good for?
Store your cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain softness. They stay fresh this way for about 3 to 5 days. Avoid refrigeration, as it can dry out the bars and affect the texture.
If you want to keep them longer, wrap the bars tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw the bars at room temperature or warm them briefly in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions for Cookie Bars
Serve the cookie bars slightly warm to enjoy the melty chocolate chips. They pair well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce. Cut them into uniform squares for easy portioning at parties or potlucks.
These bars make a convenient handheld dessert, eliminating the need for plates or utensils.
How does altering the pan size affect the baking time?
A 9×13 pan produces thinner bars that bake faster, typically in under 30 minutes.
Using an 8×8 pan results in thicker bars, which will require longer baking time to cook through evenly.
You may need to monitor closely and test doneness with a toothpick when changing pan sizes.

Can I substitute premade dough to speed up the process?
Premade dough can be used as a shortcut, but expect differences in texture and flavor. Store-bought dough often has additives that may alter chewiness and richness compared to homemade dough.
For best results, choose dough with simple, quality ingredients.
How can I simplify the cookie bar recipe to just 5 ingredients?
Focus on butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and chocolate chips for the essentials.
Shortening and baking soda can be minimized, but keep a pinch of salt for balance.
Cream the butter and sugars well to maintain texture despite fewer ingredients.
Is adding coarse sea salt a beneficial tweak for this recipe?
Coarse sea salt adds a pleasant contrast to the sweetness and deepens flavor. Sprinkle lightly on top of the cookie bars just before baking or immediately after removing from the oven.
Be careful not to overdo it; a little salt enhances without overpowering.

Try more of our favorite chocolate chip cookies here:
- You can’t go wrong with these Best Chocolate Chip Cookies—chewy centers, crisp edges, and just the right amount of chocolate in every bite.
- Take your cookies to the next level with nutty, rich brown butter that adds a deep, toffee-like flavor to this upgraded classic. Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies will become your new addiction!
- A heartier twist on the original, these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies have chewy oats, melty chocolate, and just the right touch of sweetness.
- When one kind of chocolate isn’t enough, these rich, fudgy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies deliver an extra dose of cocoa in every bite.
- A sprinkle of flaky sea salt brings out the richness of the caramel and chocolate ships and balances the sweetness perfectly in these Salted Caramel White Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Nestle Toll House Cookie Bars from the classic yellow bag of chocolate chips, with our own tweaks that make them better than ever! An incredible chocolate chip cookie bar recipe with amazing flavor & texture.















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